Do Not Pass Go. Do Not Collect $200.

1082008

Posted by: Laura

Travel Dates: 5.14.08- 5.16.08

Border towns are generally places that you pass through as quickly as possible. Most border towns are dirty and full of people hassling you. Arica sits on the border of Chile and Peru. When we arrived at the bus station, we both noticed that it didn’t look as busy as usual. We asked for a bus to Tacna, Peru to discover that there were none. Peruvian public transportation workers were on strike. We asked why the Chilean buses couldn´t get through so we could at least get across the border that day. “Because they would club your car and smash the windows as soon as you crossed,” was the answer. We were told that the strike might last two or three days, but no one knew for sure.

So we went to find a hostel and wait. We decided to stay at the Happy Days Hostel and hoped that it could cheer us up. The owner, who is originally from New Zealand, gave us a great map of the city. Arica is not as bad as we first thought. It has a small beach (it was too cold to swim), but we found a cafe to hang out for the afternoons. The strike stopped after two days, so we continued on our way through Arequipa, Peru and then on to Cuzco.

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One response

6082008

BO(01:44:54) :

Looks truly amazing and inspiring. Your travels and blog serve to further my daily struggle to mash the elevator ‘up’ button to a little place I call hell, which is commonly referred to as an office. Chris, you should apply to Nat Geo as a photographer; your pics are fantastic – you’ve got a great eye.

Thanks for providing everyone with a beautiful window to the path less traveled. Stay safe.

We’re back home in Jackson, Mississippi. The trip is over–well, let’s just say on temporary hold. We’ll continue it at some point, we still have virtually all of Asia and the Middle East left. For now we’re catching up with friends and family, and slowly finishing the last 2 months worth of blog posts. We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and for a New Year’s resolution we have a suggestion: take one trip this year outside your home country. And no, a beach in Cancun doesn’t count. If you need a suggestion or some practical info, we’re always ready to help.